by Nathaniel Browning, Policy & Programs Officer The growing prevalence of schools acquiring food from local farms makes me wish I could once again eat at school. The increasing popularity of Farm to School (F2S) programs is for good reason: they have a positive impact […]
Lead, arsenic, nitrates, OH MY!
by Nathaniel Browning, Policy & Programs Officer, CSBA Research has shown that adequate consumption of healthy water ensures proper motor functioning, mental acuity and stress reduction. Access to safe drinking water helps promote greater student achievement, physical fitness and a positive school climate. Unfortunately, many […]
Freedom Schools and Summer Learning Loss
by Nathaniel Browning, CSBA Policy & Programs Officer Imagine an excited group of elementary students gathering in a school cafeteria. It’s the middle of summer and these students are enrolled in a local summer enrichment program. Now picture them singing, chanting and dancing to Swahili […]
September Attendance Awareness Month
by Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction September is a busy time of year for all of us. Our schools are back in session – students and teachers around the state are hard at work – expectations are high. And we are charged with the responsibility […]
Closing the Achievement Gap With Attendance
by Kathryn Ramirez, Trustee, Salinas Union High School District and CSBA Director-at-large, Hispanic While I am optimistic about the direction education is headed in California, we must acknowledge that far more needs to be done if we are going to close race-based achievement gaps that […]
Making a Difference in Student Attendance–Lessons Learned
by Audrey Yamagata-Noji, Ph.D., President, Santa Ana Unified School District Board and CSBA Director-at-large, Asian Pacific Islander Attendance is especially challenging in a district where the majority of families qualify for free/reduced lunch and the majority of families are immigrants. Cultural differences can lead to […]
Two Languages: Multiple Benefits
by Julie Maxwell-Jolly, Programs & Policy Officer In an increasingly globalized economy, California will need a population with the skills and understanding to thrive in multiple settings, languages, and cultures. One way to prepare our young people for this interconnected future is by providing them […]
Why Attendance Matters; At Least To Me
by Mike Walsh, Trustee, Butte County Office of Education and CSBA Director-at-large County I’ve come to appreciate a few accomplishments in my life thus far. Some were planned, such as starting my own company, completing my graduate degree, and learning to play the guitar. Many […]
Reducing Chronic Absence: An Overlooked Opportunity for Raising Student Achievement
September is Attendance awareness month! To celebrate, we have invited four guest bloggers to provide insight throughout the month about the importance of student attendance. In this first installment, guest blogger Hedy Chang explores how reducing chronic absence can raise student achievement. By Hedy Chang, […]
Common Core is Like the Grateful Dead
by Christopher Maricle, Policy and Programs Officer Words are powerful things. When I was in college, a friend tried unsuccessfully to convince me to listen to the Grateful Dead. But the word ‘dead’ had a strong negative image for me—and their trademark symbol, the skull, […]